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BEROLINA A THIRD-GENERATION FAMILY FIRM

Foundation: Entrepreneurial spirit in the midst of the global financial crisis

Expansion: Constant growth despite the building of the Berlin Wall

Modernisation: Into the future with innovative concepts

Service based on conviction and experience!

First generation - Foundation

Carl Magasch demonstrated entrepreneurial spirit in 1929 when he founded the company in the year of the global financial crisis. There was a great demand for all kinds of transport in those turbulent days, so that within a short time a truck and a trailer soon became a well-stocked fleet. In the Second World War the entire fleet was confiscated for war purposes. After the end of the war, Carl and Paula Magasch soon rebuilt the bombed-out company premises and once again invested in vehicles. As early as 1946 a scheduled service to Hanover and Hamburg began, which was later interrupted by the Berlin Blockade. Despite the many setbacks and difficulties, Carl and Paula Magasch were always pioneers in terms of technological innovation. The first buses were built by the Berlin company Gaubschat. The travel coaches were increasingly more comfortable, and in 1965 BEROLINA commenced operations with the first three double-deckers of the type Neoplan DoLux. With their pneumatic suspension, these vehicles were the pioneers for all later touring doubles-deckers.

Second generation - Expansion

Following the death of the company's founder in 1963, Paul and Erika Gräfe joined the company. Paula Magasch took an active part in managing the company to a very great age. Paul and Erika, in turn, involved their children in the business from a very early stage, which meant that the two sons and the daughter learned all of the facets of the company from a young age. In light of the economic boom and the growing interest in travel, the business placed increasing emphasis on travel and tourism. Whereas the initial destinations were places like the Harz and Fichtelgebirge, the radius was later expanded and sometimes also included flights. Constant technological progress and ecological considerations demanded permanent investment in the fleet and in IT. In the 1970s BEROLINA was one of the pioneers of electronic booking systems. With the fall of the Wall in 1989, the customer segment expanded increasingly and became more international. During this period, Paul Gräfe also gave much advice to company founders from the new federal states.

Third generation - Modernisation

The topic of constant change continued under the management of the siblings Michael and Martina Gräfe. German Reunification and the increased contracting of public services from private companies led in 1992 to the development of a new business area, scheduled urban bus services. In addition, with Europe growing ever closer together, a long-distance bus route to Copenhagen was added in 2006. The trend towards short city trips and the rapid growth in tourists visiting Berlin from all around the world also produced more concepts. Today the main focus in on modern and eventful hop-on/hop-off city tours with the most frequent interval in Berlin (every 10 minutes), an electronic ticket system, 20 languages and a unique kids' channel – standards that hold their own in every international comparison. Internally, a new chapter was written with the relocation of the company headquarters to Tempelhof: by concentrating all areas at this central location in Berlin, the company can now react even more quickly and flexibly to customers' wishes.